Trump calls for Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola to be barred from ballot over Sullivan name dispute
The president cites text messages reported by The New York Times, alleging a coordinated effort to confuse voters with a same-named independent candidate.
By Giulia Donovan ·
President Donald Trump is demanding that Democratic Senate candidate Mary Peltola be removed from the Alaska ballot ahead of the November 3 general election. On his Truth Social account, the president labeled the situation an electoral fraud and argued that Peltola should not be allowed to run because of a specific maneuver involving her Republican rival.
The presidential call for action follows a recent report by The New York Times. The newspaper published text messages in which alleged members of Peltola’s campaign discussed recruiting a person who shares the name of incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan. The plan was to register this individual as a Senate candidate to appear on the ballot, thereby confusing voters and potentially diverting votes intended for the sitting senator.
Trump accused the campaign of lying to the court regarding its knowledge of the strategy. "They found a man named Dan Sullivan (the same name as the Republican candidate in Alaska), put him on the ballot, and then lied to the court, saying they knew nothing about it," Trump wrote. He added that the conduct constituted perjury and that neither Peltola nor the "fake Dan Sullivan" should be permitted to run.
The candidate at the center of the naming controversy is Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., a retired fifth-grade teacher. He initially entered the Republican primary and is now listed on the ballot as an independent. According to the New York Times reporting, the diversion of votes toward this candidate did occur.
Peltola’s campaign has disputed the findings in the text messages. The team stated that no members of the working staff or advisors collaborated to find the candidate Daniel J. Sullivan, contradicting the claims made in the reported correspondence. The campaign maintains that the recruitment was not a coordinated effort by its core leadership.
The dispute adds tension to a closely contested race in Alaska. Recent polling data indicates a tight margin between the top contenders as the state prepares to vote on November 3. The outcome will determine the next U.S. Senator from the state, with the Sullivan name appearing on the ballot in two distinct capacities.
